PETpla.net Insider 11 / 2023

No.11 2023 www.petpla.net D 51178; ISSN: 1438-9452 13 . 11 . 23 MAGAZ I NE FOR BOT T L E R S AND BOT T L E - MAK E R S IN THE AMER ICAS, AS IA, EUROPE AND AL L AROUND THE PLANET PETplanet is read in 159 countries MARKETsurvey Suppliers of palletising & shrink film machinery Page 23 BOTTLE MAKING Page 27 Page 10

We think about your caps, so you can think of everything else. www.corvaglia.com

imprint EDITORIAL PUBLISHER Alexander Büchler, Managing Director HEAD OFFICE heidelberg business media GmbH Hubweg 15 74939 Zuzenhausen, Germany phone: +49 6221-65108-0 fax: +49 6221-65108-28 info@petpla.net EDITORIAL Kay Barton Heike Fischer Gabriele Kosmehl Michael Maruschke Ruari McCallion Anthony Withers WikiPETia. info petplanet@petpla.net MEDIA CONSULTANTS Martina Hirschmann hirschmann@petpla.net Johann Lange-Brock lange-brock@petpla.net phone: +49 6221-65108-0 fax: +49 6221-65108-28 LAYOUT AND PREPRESS EXPRIM Werbeagentur | exprim.de Matthias Gaumann READER SERVICES reader@petpla.net PRINT Chroma Druck Eine Unternehmung der Limberg-Druck GmbH Danziger Platz 6 67059 Ludwigshafen, Germany WWW www.hbmedia.net | www.petpla.net PETplanet Insider ISSN 1438-9459 is published 10 times a year. This publication is sent to qualified subscribers (1-year subscription 149 EUR, 2-year subscription 289 EUR, Young professionals’ subscription 99 EUR. Magazines will be dispatched to you by airmail). Not to be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher. Note: The fact that product names may not be identified as trademarks is not an indication that such names are not registered trademarks. 3 PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 11/23 www.petpla.net Dear readers, Sometimes the past catches up with you. As the saying goes “You only meet twice in life”. I was reminded of this during Intravis’s 30th anniversary celebrations (see article on page 32). Yes, there were some people among the 100 or so guests whom I had not seen for a long while, but I was totally unaware that Gerd Fuhrmann, founder and CEO of Intravis, and I had worked together almost 30 years ago. We both studied in Aachen and may well have sat opposite one another in some student pub. But our first collaboration was probably in 1996. Back then, Intravis was a small, up-and-coming technology company and I was editor of the trade magazine Plastverarbeiter. And what did Gerd have to say about his business? - His company’s slogan “We solve problems. Before they occur”, which dates from 1996 and first appeared in Plastverarbeiter! It must have passed through my hands then and perhaps I gave one or two clues. Neither Gerd Fuhrmann nor I knew at the time how much the PET industry would dominate our lives for the next few decades. Dear Gerd – all the very best and here’s to the next 30 years! Yours, Alexander Büchler

PETcontents 4 PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 11/23 www.petpla.net 11/2023 Page 36 BOTTLE MAKING 10 Sustainability trend in beverages shaping the future of PET bottles 12 From concept to finished bottle - A holistic approach to packaging design and development 14 Fully recycled 16 Keeping rPET milk bottles white - PDG Plastiques launches white rPET milk bottles and lighter large containers 18 Creating the perfect bottle design - Combining technical know-how with customer needs 20 Bottle design for sustainability - An ‘on-field’ approach by Sacmi MARKET SURVEY 23 Suppliers of palletising & shrink film machinery TRADE SHOW PREVIEW 27 Trend-setting Clip Aside tethered caps 28 Waving the flag for PET innovation and circularity TRADE SHOW REVIEW 30 Review PETinar – EU Directives: Are you fit for 2024? 32 30 years of Intravis 33 21st GSI PET Day 2023 36 Fakuma review 38 Energy efficiency drives development BUYER’S GUIDE 40 Get listed! INSIDE TRACK 3 Editorial 4 Contents 6 News 39 Products 46 Patents Page 12 Page 28

yellow.agency T OTA LLY SW I S S. A FAMILY OWNED SWISS COMPANY. OUR INJEC T ION MOULDS FOR PE T AND PAC FE ATURE CRAF TSMANSHIP THAT I S UNIQUELY SWI SS . OT TO-HOFS TE T TER . SWI SS

PETnews 6 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 11/23 www.petpla.net Valgroup expands its operations in the Italian PET preform market with the acquisition of Garda Plast Group Valgroup, producer, transformer and recycler of plastic packaging, announces the acquisition of Garda Plast Group (GP Group), formed through the aggregat ion – led by Progressio SGR – between Garda Plast S.p.A., based in Polpenazze del Garda (BS), and Ifap S.p.A., based in Palmanova (UD). GP Group is specialised in the production of PET and rPET preforms. This business expansion consolidates the company’s presence in Italy, strengthening relations with suppliers and enabling it to support regional customers more comprehensively. The two new plants acquired by Valgroup in Italy are in addition to five other PET preform manufacturing units: one in San Jose, Uruguay, another three in Brazil, in the cities of Duque de Caxias (RJ), Ipojuca (PE) and Betim (MG), as well as the unit located in Villa Lempa, Italy, acquired at the end of 2022. www.valgroupco.com Alpla becomes the majority owner of Paboco The Danish joint v en t u r e Pabo c o develops and produces fibre-based packaging solutions using pulp-forming t echno l ogy. The company, based in Slangerup, Denmark, was founded in 2019 by Alpla and Billerud. By taking over all of Billerud’s shares and investing in Paboco, packaging and recycling specialist Alpla, as majority shareholder, is pushing the rapid industrialisation of fully recyclable paper bottles made from FSC-certified fibres. From the end of 2024, Paboco plans to produce a fully recyclable paper bottle at a new state-of-the-art manufacturing site in Denmark. Since 2021, Paboco has been testing the first products on the market together with the Paboco Pioneer Community members: The Absolut Company, Carlsberg Group, The Coca-Cola Company, L’Oréal and Procter & Gamble. After the successful test phase, volume production of the next generation of recyclable paper bottles is scheduled to start at the end of 2024. www.alpla.com Penn Color receives a joint recyclability approval from RecyClass and EPBP Recyclass and EPBP announced that latest independent testing proves Penn Color’s ‘66UV11964’ UV blocker as compatible with the clear transparent and coloured PET bottle recycling streams in Europe. UV light exposure can induce the degradation of specific vitamins, flavours, colourants, and additives, resulting in diminished potency and a shortened shelf life. Penn Color’s ‘66UV11964” UV blocker can be used in PET bottles to safeguard UV-sensitive contents against photodegradation when exposed to direct light, thereby protecting essential product characteristics like aroma, flavour, and colour. Recyclability evaluation was carried out to ensure that the additive does not cause yellowing on the PET matrix during the recycling process. Trials were carried out at Plastic Forming Enterprises (PFE) following the Recyclability Evaluation Protocol for PET bottles from EPBP, and results show that no significant deviations were observed on the quality of the produced recyclates. The stated approval is valid under the condition that the concentration of the UV stabiliser does not exceed 0.6 wt% in a PET bottle. Following this process, Penn Color’s technology will be integrated within the Recyclass Online Tool and will also be considered within the scope of Recyclass Recyclability Certifications for plastic packaging. In general, the use of additives in the PET stream has caused issues for recycling due to the subsequent yellowing of the final recycled materials. Penn Color asserts that this approval demonstrates how innovation can help reduce or prevent adverse impacts on recyclates, thus moving the industry closer to a circular plastic future. www.penncolor.com IMPROVEYOUR PRODUCTIVITY CONTACTUS TODAY! info@moldmasters.com www.moldmasters.com Featuring ✓ High-performance 2-stage hot runner system. ✓ Enhance preform quality and productivity. ✓ Lower injection pressures to allow for faster cycle times and lightweighting.

7 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 11/23 www.petpla.net Sumitomo (SHI) Demag: 15 years of German-Japanese partnership Sumitomo (SHI) Demag is celebrating 15 years of GermanJapanese partnership this year. This occasion was acknowledged by Gerd Liebig, CEO, during the press conference at the beginning of Fakuma 2023. Over this period, synergies have been developed to enhance efficiency and increase market activities, said Gerd Liebig. As another milestone in the partnership, the increase in market share for all-electric machines was emphasised. “It has more than doubled worldwide,” stated the CEO, announcing further growth in this strategic focus in Europe: “With the introduction of the Intelect S and Pac-E, we expect an additional increase in market share in the next two to three years.” Liebig also elaborated on Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s product strategy, which is based on different platforms. For instance, a platform for all-electric injection moulding machines was established, enabling the production of the small Intelect in Germany, Japan, and from 2024 in China. The second platform concerns hydraulic injection moulding machines with high closing force classes. The Systec platform for machines with a clamping force between 800 t and 1,500 t for the automotive industry in Germany and China, was set to launch in late October. Increased investments in the packaging industry “The demand for injection moulding machines in Europe is affected by the embargo on Russia, making exports from the EU to Russia impossible since September 2023,” he explained. There is hope in the packaging industry: “Another defining factor will be the sharply rising demand for pharmaceutical packaging and closure caps, which will significantly boost the high-performance applications segment. Furthermore, the general demand for all-electric machines, which has seen significant growth in the packaging sector, will now also play an increasingly significant role in the consumer and automotive segments,” predicted Liebig. The current market situation is characterised by a very weak consumer sector. “Additionally, demand in the electronics industry has also dropped significantly due to its dependency on the automotive and construction industries,” the CEO explained. Sumitomo (SHI) Demag expects a consistently high revenue level in the medical technology sector and significantly increased investments in the packaging industry. “Our market share for all-electric machines has more than doubled in the last ten years and is currently close to 30 per cent for Europe.” www.sumitomo-shi-demag.eu

8 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 11/23 www.petpla.net Coca-Cola partners with Swedish start-up Blue Ocean Closures Blue Ocean Closures, a Swedish start-up dedicated to reducing plastic usage in packaging closures, announces its partnership with Coca-Cola’s EMEA R&D Center in Brussels. The innovation introduced by Blue Ocean Closures is a fibre-based packaging screw cap, derived from biobased and recyclable materials. “For us to succeed with this groundbreaking move, away from fossil-based plastics, it is extremely important to have global brands onboard, with the ambition and ability to truly making a difference, says Lars Sandberg, CEO of Blue Ocean Closures. In line with its ambitions to advance sustainable packaging while reducing the use of non-renewable material, and support its ambitious WorldWithout Waste strategy, Coca-Cola is joining Blue Ocean Closures’ community of pioneering partners. Blue Ocean Closures aims to transform the packaging industry through the design and manufacture of fibre-based screw caps and lids. First to the market, it intends to address the world’s plastic pollution crisis by ensuring its products live up to five core concepts: being biobased, ocean biodegradable, recyclable, cost-effective, and scalable. As brands, businesses, and innovators worldwide look to achieve sustainability, Blue Ocean Closures is doing its part to drive progress in packaging. Backed by industry leaders Alpla and Glatfelter, Blue Ocean Closures is exploring new packaging solutions and enabling brands to decrease their carbon footprint. www.blueoceanclosures.com Husky appoints John Linker as Chief Financial Officer Husky Technologies announced the appointment of John Linker as Chief Financial Officer. Effective October 19, 2023, Linker replaced John Hafferty, who joined Husky in 2019 following the company’s transition to new ownership. Over the past four years, Hafferty was tasked with improving the company’s accounting and finance operations, assembling a strong team and ensuring best practices were in place throughout the organisation. “John Hafferty was instrumental in the continued development of the Husky finance organisation, and we are grateful for all his contributions,” said Husky CEO John Galt. “The groundwork he laid paves the way for a seamless transition to the next phase of the company’s growth and evolution.” Linker joins Husky from Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC, where he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since April 2022 as well as Chief Operations Officer since 2023. Prior to that, Linker was an executive at Jeld-Wen Holding, Inc. for more than nine years from 2012 to 2022 where he held leadership positions including Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. “John Linker is a proven leader and finance executive who is the right fit for the next stage of our journey,” added Galt. “He has worked across a wide range of industries and has substantial experience in both public company and private equity sponsor settings. We believe his background and expertise will be critical to our success in coming years.” Prior to Serta and Jeld-Wen, Linker worked for UTC Aerospace Systems, Wachovia Securities and Bank of America. Linker earned his undergraduate degree and MBA from Duke University. www.husky.co Plastics Recycling Show India launches in Mumbai, December 4-6, 2024 The launch edition of the Plastics Recycling Show India (PRS India) will take place at the Nesco Bombay Exhibition Center (BEC) in Mumbai from December 4 to 6, 2024. The three-day exhibition and conference is the first event in India specifically dedicated to plastics recycling. PRS India is the latest extension of the fast-growing PRS series of annual global events for the plastics recycling sector which includes the Plastics Recycling Show Europe in Amsterdam, the Plastics Recycling Show Middle East & Africa in Dubai and the Plastics Recycling Show Asia in Singapore. The Plastics Recycling Show India is designed for plastics recycling professionals. It brings together key players from the plastics and recycling sectors to showcase innovative technology, share best practice, network and do business. A broad cross-section of the industry will be represented at the event including plastics recycling machinery and equipment suppliers, plastic material suppliers and compounders, preprocessors, plastics recyclers, recycling and waste management specialists, government and industry associations. The latest trends in the plast ics recycl ing sector wi l l be explored in depth in the conference, which wi l l provide a hol istic view of the whole plastic recycl ing value chain, drawing together legislators, major brands, recyclers and the plastics recycl ing and manufacturing industry. Local and international experts will address key themes including the circular economy, regulations, challenges, opportunities, innovations, technologies and trends, and share insights and experiences from across the sector promoting the sustainable use of plastics. Plastics Recycling Show India is organised by Crain Communications and Media Fusion and is supported by Plastics Recyclers Europe. The event will run annually starting in December 2024. PRS event calendar 2024: Plastics Recycling Show Europe, RAI Amsterdam, June 19-20, 2024 www. prseventeurope.com Plastics Recycling Show Middle East & Africa, Dubai, September 10-12, 2024 www.prseventmea.com Plastics Recycling Show Asia, Marina Bay Sands Singapore, November 13-14, 2024 www.prseventasia.com Plastics Recycling Show India, BEC Mumbai, December 4-6, 2024 https:// bit.ly/prseventindia

9 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 11/23 www.petpla.net Wemaximize your added value With Netstal’s leading preform injection molding technology. Our PET-Line impresses with broadest compatibility, maximum ĕĉēĐĖĈĉđĖĕ ĆęĄĆđĕĊĐďĂč ĆďĆēĈĚ ĆħĄĊĆďĄĚ ĐđĕĊĎĂč đēĐĄĆĔĔĊďĈ of rPET and other challenging recyclates, and with its intuitive Axos control unit. Preforms

BOTTLE MAKING 10 PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 11/23 www.petpla.net Sustainability trend in beverages shaping the future of PET bottles by Linda Lichtmess, Research Consultant at Euromonitor International Plastic packaging dominates the grocery landscape. Flexible plastic and PET bottles lead, and account for 47% of retail packaging sales. With a 3% rise in 2022, the PET bottle headlines overall packaging volume growth. But there are substantial changes taking place as circularity and sustainability are gaining momentum. For many years, PET bottles have taken the center stage of medial interest when it comes to the discourse on plastic packaging and its environmental impact. We have all seen pictures of massive landfills in African or Asian nations or beaches being flooded by plastic bottles, PET bottles. While there are innovations looking into alternative materials such as metal cans or glass bottles, the reality is that alone in the beverage industry, PET bottles have a share of more than 41%. Looking at the soft drinks sector, the most important consumer of PET bottles, the share is even higher making 61% in 2023. Forecasts are hinting at a rather stable share, but with a growing consumption meaning that the beverage industry will need more PET bottles in 2027. In actual numbers: 80 billion units more than in 2023. Looking into soft drinks in particular, bottled water will be the main driver of growing volume consumption. As PET bottles are the most prominent packaging type in this category, the expected future consumption will also increase the need for PET bottles. This is particularly true for the Middle East & Africa, a region which is expected to drive the growing water consumption. The growing consumption is facing a growing need for more sustainable solutions of plastic usage. On the one hand, the regulatory pressure on corporates is increasing. The EU is likely to ban greenwashing and aiming to improve consumer information on product durability. Similar to the EU Health Claims directive, the European Union is planning to ban generic environmental claims that could be misleading, and which are not based on approved certification schemes. Some prominent examples have been claims of the soft drinks’ producer Danone’s brand Volvic which claims to be “climate neutral” in Germany. On the other hand, consumers are increasingly worried about their consumption and its environmental impact and are demanding more sustainable action from businesses and brands. According to Euromonitor International’s Voice of the Consumer: Sustainability Survey in 2023, nearly two thirds of global consumers are worried about climate change. At the same time, industry experts complain that the lack of consumers to pay more for sustainable products is the main barrier hindering sustainability initiatives’ effectiveness (Source: Euromonitor International Voice of the Industry: Sustainability Survey, 2023). This is especially the case within the packaging industry, where more than 58% of experts agreed. The industry is also making investments that aim at e.g. saving water and energy, recycling, green technology, circular economy business models etc. The problem seems to be the communication of such efforts to the consumer, as Euromonitor’s survey showcases. The main pillars for material circularity are: removal, re-design, re-use, and alternative models. Reducing the material to its very core, removing any surplus and incorporating recyclable material is the goal. While innovation for alternative packaging solutions is also ongoing, ensuring the material already out there can be collected and recycled (and/or refilled), will be important to ensure a circular packaging economy. Thus, one increasingly popular approach is the surge of deposit return systems (DRS). At the moment, DRS schemes are fairly limited in geographic scope. Roughly 13% of global beverage packaging is covered by a current or soon-to-be implemented national DRS. Source: Euromonitor International Passport Packaging Industry 2023 Note: 2023-2027 data is a forecast BOTTLE MAKING

BOTTLE MAKING 11 PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 Plastic is here to stay. But innovation is making plastic packaging reusable while prioritising affordability for consumers. At the same time, companies will need to communicate their efforts well to consumers, where packaging is the main medium. As consumers trust in “recyclable” product claims, businesses must ensure to educate consumers while being transparent about their supply chains. www.euromonitor.com Source: Euromonitor International Voice of the Industry: Sustainability Survey 2023

BOTTLE MAKING 12 PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 11/23 www.petpla.net A holistic approach to packaging design and development From concept to finished bottle Sipa’s capabilities in systems to produce preforms by injection moulding and using the Xtreme extrusion-injection-compression moulding technology are well-known; so is its position in bottle stretch-blow moulding, with both reheat systems and single-step injection-stretch-blow moulding, in moulds for preforms and for bottles to complement these moulding systems. The company’s design experts incorporate all this knowledge into the development of preforms and bottles, considering all the key parameters on the journey from the idea to a successful product. The company has built up a network of design centres across the world, in Europe, the USA, and China where a global team of experts, including 15 fully qualified industrial designers are busy. To produce bottle designs, many aspects have to be taken into account: What will the container contain? What specific markets it is aimed at? What is the sales strategy of the customer? Sipa’s design and engineering experts do not only have to consider the look of a container, but also how the look fits with the identity of the packaged product, how the container feels and behaves, how easy it is to produce, how it performs on the filling line, in storage, and in transport; and last but not least, how much it all costs. Market expertise The design and development team can apply its expertise not only to the container, but also to the label and/or other forms of decoration, and to the secondary packaging. Because the design centres are located in crucial end-user markets, staffed with experts steeped in local knowledge, they are positioned to create and develop ideas that best meet the needs of the specific customer and the target users. Local knowledge includes understanding of how markets are today, and how they are likely to develop, as consumer tastes change, and as new rules and regulations are introduced. In Europe, for example, environmental legislation is calling for single use bottles with tethered caps – caps that do not detach from the bottle when they are unscrewed, and so are less likely to disappear when the bottle has been emptied. New cap designs are likely to have important implications for bottle neck designs, and Sipa is already testing new versions. All these requirements and mechanisms to be considered go well beyond design. Sipa supports its design team with technical knowledge, assistance with market research and route-to-market strategies that will help the customer bring an idea into a commercial reality, sitting on the shop shelf in short time. This means that Sipa can speak to its customers from all points on the packaging circle – and it really is a circle, because Sipa has industryleading experience and expertise in multiple aspects of recycling, from design for recycling, all the way through to processing postconsumer recyclate into good-as-new containers. Design for recycling Sipa strictly follows the Recyclass Design for Recycling guidelines established by EPBP, the European PET Bottle Platform. This voluntary industry initiative provides PET bottle design guidelines for recycling, BOTTLE MAKING Luxury mineral water bottle engineered by Sipa for high speed production

BOTTLE MAKING 13 PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 11/23 www.petpla.net evaluates PET bottle packaging solutions and technologies, and facilitates understanding of the effects of new PET bottle innovations on recycling processes. Several test procedures can be used to assess the impact on recycling of new packaging technologies. How to use recyclate Sipa says that it has considerable expertise in how to use postconsumer recycled PET in new containers for food and drink. This means not only creating designs that take into account differences and variations in processing characteristics of rPET, but also other less obvious factors such as the increased level of powder that rPET processing creates. The company recently established the Awarpet brand to advance its environmentally conscious approach to the design and production of PET packaging. Awarpet bottles are light: for example, Sipa has been involved in a design project for a 1l water bottle weighing just 16g, far lighter than most 1l bottles currently on the market. It all starts with an idea Any design project starts with a blank piece of paper (or possibly a blank iPad screen). Working with the most basic of briefs, the design experts can create a sophisticated concept, beginning with some finetuning of the original customer idea, moving to renderings and technical drawings, finite element analysis to simulate performance of the container, through to solid mock-ups. These can be produced in a short time using appropriate additive manufacturing (3D printing) techniques, before functional prototypes and finally market-ready products can be manufactured. “The customers can share their ideas with the team in complete confidence, since it is all one-on-one, with no external agencies involved. The expression ‘one-stop shop’ may be over-used sometimes, but in this case, it truly is applicable. Everything can be resolved in a seamless, integrated progression towards market success,” says Sipa. The approach in action: successful projects The Italian company has already applied the new packaging design and development service concept to several projects, including one that involved converting a barbeque sauce bottle from glass to hot-fill PET, maintaining the “retro” look of the original; and another for a customer employing the company’s Xtreme rotary injection-compression preform moulding system, for which an in-depth study of the impact on performance of different levels of PCR was assessed. Sipa has worked for a well-known Portuguese luxury mineral water brand to engineer the existing bottle base in order to make it possible to produce this magnificent bottle at high speed on its rotary blowmoulder Xtra while before it was produced on an alternative lower speed system. Label free and lighter Sipa’s design team has demonstrated their dedication to eco-conscious packaging by creating a range of aesthetically pleasing, functional, and environmentally friendly bottles. These bottles are uniquely devoid of labels, emphasising their commitment to recyclability. This approach not only minimises waste but also bestows a clean, sleek appearance, elevating the product’s overall aesthetic appeal. Furthermore, Sipa introduced a lightweight alternative to the standard PCO 1881 with the GME 30.37 neck finish, showcasing their expertise in engineering eco-friendly solutions. This neck finish achieves a 45.5% reduction in weight compared to previous designs while maintaining structural integrity. Importantly, it complies with the SUP Directive (2019/904), ensuring adherence to tethered cap regulations set to become effective by July 2024. The company’s bottle designs not only prioritise sustainability but also adhere to evolving industry standards, exemplifying their commitment to responsible packaging. Withstanding high pressure: La Spumante La Spumante is claimed to be the world’s first PET bottle designed exclusively for sparkling wine. Its unbreakable, lightweight design enhances safety, making it suitable for diverse events and venues, from concerts to airlines. The bottle’s commitment to sustainability, crafted entirely from PET or potentially rPET, significantly reduces its environmental footprint and seamlessly integrates with traditional bottling processes. Sipa says that La Spumante’s engineering withstands high pressures, preserving the effervescence and taste of sparkling wine. Moreover, the decrease of 80% in bottle weight compared to glass counterpart, leads to more efficient transportation, reducing costs and carbon emissions, aligning with sustainability goals. It has won multiple prices around the world. www.sipasolutions.com The label free approach not only minimises waste but also bestows a clean, sleek bottle appearance.

BOTTLE MAKING 14 PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 0/23 www.petpla.net Fully recycled by Ruari McCallion The Finnish company Pramia Plastic Oy manufactures rPET granulate, from which its parent company Pramia Oy manufactures its entire range of bottles without using any additives. The exclusive use of rPET reflects Pramia Oy’s commitment to environmental sustainability, which was recognised in 2012, the same year it acquired the company that became Pramia Plastic Oy, with the World’s Most Sustainable Beverage Manufacturer award. A family affair Pramia Oy itself was founded in 1990 by members of the Mäkinen family, who still own and manage it. Initially, the company focused on malt drinks, including low-alcohol “home beer”, a popular choice with meals at home. After Finland joined the EU in 1995, Pramia expanded its range to include the production of spirits, such as vodka. As in all Nordic countries except Denmark, the retail sale of alcoholic beverages is through a state monopoly company. Alko, the Finnish monopoly, is the only retail chain in the country that sells beer with ABV of 5.5% or more, wine (other than direct sales by vineyards) and spirits. In 2017, its annual revenue exceeded €1.1 billion. By law, it must also offer lower ABV and nonalcoholic beverages. “Alko asked Pramia to produce lightly carbonated beverages for sale under its own brand, and mocktails were added soon after,” says Marko Mäkinen, founder and CEO of Pramia Oy and Pramia Plastic Oy. “The company has a small share of the Finnish alcoholic beverage market but, in some lines, such as cream liqueurs, our presence is much stronger.” Market Pramia Oy’s market is almost entirely in Finland; it does not export any of its beverage products, although it supplies to duty-free shops on ferries and ships in the Baltic Sea. However, Pramia Plastic Oy sells rPET and PET strap to several European countries. It buys consumer PET bottles and processes an average of one million of them a day at its Toholampi plant into flakes and plastic granules. It also produces 50 million metres of green packaging strap a year from coloured rPET. The plant runs entirely on wind energy. At first, Pramia Oy packed its products in glass bottles but switched to PET in the early 2000s. It began to investigate recycled PET in 2010. In 2012, the opportunity arose to buy out of bankruptcy a company that already had granulation and washing lines. A strap production line was added, Pramia Plastic Oy was founded and Pramia Oy started using rPET in the same year. BOTTLE MAKING

BOTTLE MAKING 15 PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 0/23 www.petpla.net Quality materials Marko is proud of the quality of Pramia Plastic’s materials, which means that he does not need to use additives to make clear plastic bottles from rPET. “Pramia does not have its own system for bottle recovery; we buy them from two separate recycling companies in Finland, both of which use reverse vending machines. Consumers receive between 10 and 40 cents for a returned bottle, which is funded by breweries. They collect and bale the returned bottles, and Pramia Plastic collects them,” he said. “The quality of our recovered bottles is world-class, which means that we can produce rPET packaging in quantities that are not possible in other countries. We have also invested in the world’s best reprocessing equipment and, in some cases, modified it to suit our needs.” Pramia Plastic is responsible for all recycling and production processes, including flakeing, granulation and sorting; rPET production up to moulds and blown bottles is handled by Pramia Oy for its own use. It makes ten different bottles, ranging in size from 187ml to 1 l, both round and oval. The largest single product line is 35 cl oval bottles, with 75 cl sparkling wine bottles in second place. Beer and wine bottles are made with a barrier in them, but otherwise the bottles are the same for alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. Overcoming challenges Although Pramia’s market share in Finland is relatively small, it has a major impact. The development of Pramia Plastic has not always been without problems; in fact, Marko says that the first seven years of its existence were quite difficult. Then, quite quickly, the market changed; rPET was approved, demand increased sharply and it found that customers made offers against each other for the product. In Finland, about 96 per cent of bottles are now recycled. According to Marko Mäkinen, Pramia’s success is due to investments, hard work (of course) and, especially, the personnel. “I’ve had to take sick leave lately, but when a company has good employees and processes in place, it can handle it,” he said. Pramia’s focus on recycling and quality has been recognised with several awards. Pramia Plastic received the National Entrepreneur Award of the Federation of Central Ostrobothnia Enterprises in 2022. The latest gem in Pramia Plastic Oy’s crown came on October 7, 2023, when it received the national entrepreneur award from Fennia and the Federation of Finnish Enterprises at the National Entrepreneur Day in Pori. Marko considers it one of the highlights of his career. “The National Entrepreneur Award feels very good – first and foremost because it is awarded by other entrepreneurs,” he said. www.pramiaplastic.fi 16th INTERNATIONAL TRADE SHOW FOR PLASTICS & RECYCLING, PETROCHEMICALS, PACKAGING & RUBBER INDUSTRY Platinum Sponsor www.arabplast.info International Associate India Associate Organiser 750+ Exhibitors 35+ Countries 13-15 DECEMBER, 2023 Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE #ARABPLAST #arabplast2023 Where Plastic Meets Business Media Partners Industry Communication & Show Daily Partner Onsite Registration Partner Principal Sponsor

BOTTLE MAKING 16 PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 11/23 www.petpla.net PDG Plastiques launches white rPET milk bottles and lighter large containers Keeping rPET milk bottles white Over the past 30 years, PET converter PDG Plastiques has built a reputation for its proficiency in PET preforms, bottles, and containers. The company, which is located south of Paris and has a subsidiary plant in Algeria, is active in the dairy industry and has particular expertise in barrier technologies as well as small and very large and complex preforms. In 2022, PDG launched PET bottle made of 50 per cent and 100 per cent rPET recovered from used opaque bottles, including milk bottles. It has built on this experience and, this year, has developed milk bottles with 25 to 30 per cent rPET, derived entirely from dairy bottles. It has developed a method of ensuring that the bottle retains its bright, white appearance but without the use of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) colouring. Recycled dairy resin is grey usually requires a lot of colouring to make it white. PDG says that TiO2 is not an environmentallyfriendly solution and outcomes are variable. The company’s Prelactia solution uses an overmoulding technology to produce a bottle with a barrier layer and a white outer layer. The black inner layer, injection moulded first, contains up to 30 per cent dairyderived rPET; the white outer layer is injected over it. The technology allows PDG Plastiques to meet the European Directive requirement for 25 per cent recycled content in PET bottles by 2025 and 30% by 2030. The company says this is an important step in the development of true closed loop production of milk bottles. Lighter large containers and neck finishes PDG has extended the use of its Mint-Tec technology to produce a 20 l container that is 100 g lighter than its previous preform but with the same mechanical strength. This is in addition to the 5 l bottle it already produces for a well-known French mineral water company. Having been among the first companies to produce 26/22 neck finishes complying with Cetie 30.37 for carbonated and still beverages, PDG announced that will launch a Cetie 30.40 version. As well as launching a range of stackable five, 10 and 20 l large containers with 48 and 63mm neck finishes, PDG Plastiques has commissioned a new blowing hall and will soon launch new bottles for customers in the chemical, agrochemical industry and cosmetic industries. www.pdg-plastiques.com BOTTLE MAKING The black inner layer, injection moulded first, contains up to 30 per cent dairyderived rPET; the white outer layer is injected over it. 20 l container produced using Mint-Tec technology

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BOTTLE MAKING 18 PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 11/23 www.petpla.net Combining technical know-how with customer needs Creating the perfect bottle design As a mould manufacturer, Röders creates its bottle designs from a technical point of view. After almost 50 years of bottle engineering and blow mould manufacturing, the company benefits from a huge experience of what is technically feasible and which details can be recommended to the customer. Regardless of the technical equipment, a detailed design briefing is one key to achieving the design the customers are looking for. These briefings can vary – they can be very short, but already very clear. Or alternatively quite extensive, but confusing. In this article, Röders discusses the essential points needed to speed up the design process, make it as clear as possible for the technicians and most satisfactory for the customer. “Please provide a proposal for a 500 ml slim and elegant water bottle which would be unique in the market“– briefing completed. Röders has received many such requests in the past. So the question is asked: Still or carbonated water? Does “slim“ mean the client has a special diameter in mind? What is the individual understanding of “elegant”? What will be the preform weight for this bottle to take into account volume impact or haptic properties right from the start? Even complicated design elements are developed using state-of-the-art design programmes and technology Other briefings are clearer as customers already know what they need to provide for the engineering team to get a quick drawing. No doubt it is easier to work with already existing ideas in mind. A frequent request is to increase or decrease an existing bottle to a new format, e.g. from 500 to 750 or 1,000 ml. The questions that need to be answered include: Are there fixed requirements such as the main diameter? Is the maximum height important to ensure proper presentation on the shelf later? Is the emphasis on cost saving by retaining customer’s existing preferred options on the line? Marketing department vs. technical team – better together! For sure it is important to have the right people involved in the design phase. Doing a bottle project from a marketing perspective will be very creative, but most likely not feasible on the production line without reducing efficiency. It is therefore very important to get the right knowhow in the individual steps of the design phase. With the experience of more than 100,000 moulds manufactured, Röders always strives to balance the feedback between the different departments to guide the customer to a reliable solution. Set-up of a new blowing process on a 1Blow 1XLab blowing machine Tools for testing new bottle shapes In the laboratory equipped with a state-of-the-art 1Blow test blowing machine, Röders can check the properties of a bottle design in every detail. This offers the possibility, especially in the development phase, of enabling the most costeffective and exact bottle development to achieve a functional bottle. In recent years, testing new moulds with a qualified laboratory report has proven to be increasingly useful for all parties involved. With the certified laboratory equipment, Röders is able to blow bottles with the desired preform weight and resin at short notice and, on the one hand, deliver them to the customer for test marketing purposes, line trials or palletising tests and, on the other hand, carry out all important tests itself. The client benefits from quick results and feasibility reports that show whether or not the design created meets all requirements. Röders is able to blow bottles with the desired preform weight and resin at short notice to deliver them to the customer for test and trial purposes. Röders utilises different tools and modern technology in the various stages of the process, including a 3D printer for bottle mock-ups. These mock-ups can be presented directly to the customer and accurately reflect the final product 1:1. In BOTTLE MAKING

BOTTLE MAKING 19 PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 11/23 www.petpla.net addition, the company uses stateof-the-art computer design programmes to develop even complicated design elements precisely and reliably. Through this process, the customer benefits not only from the exact results in the calculation of the bottle shapes, but also from detailed dimensions on drawings and special views of the prototypes, which are often used for advertising purposes due to their high quality. Röder’s checklist to ensure a swift design process: Bottle size = required fill-level volume and required headspace Product to be filled CO2-level or use of nitrogen during the filling process Name of the bottle/project Preform neck finish + estimated weight, if available: preform drawing Requirements for bottle dimensions such as main diameter, total height, label area dimensions to meet existing customer preferred options Labelling: Sleeve or standard label etc. Base design: Petaloid, 6-feet, Champagne base, Star base, a reference type from an existing project or any other requirements – please let us know what you prefer Other details to share www.roeders.de About Röders: Founded 200 years ago as a pewter casting handcraft shop, family owned in the 6th generation Blow mould manufacturer since 1975, manufacturer of high speed milling machines since beginning of the 1990s 400 employees in Germany, located in the city of Soltau (between Hamburg and Hanover) Independent mould supplier with own design + mould engineering departments Moulds are made on in-house developed Röders milling machine centres – always with the latest software and conceived for high-speed manufacturing Engineering know-how for moulds for Krones, Sidel, KHS, Sipa, Kosme and many more Own laboratory equipped with a new state-of-the-art test blowing machine as well as certified testing equipment to measure the quality of blown PET bottles Essential for the bottle design process (f.l.t.r.): 3D-printer, section weight measurement and volume check 2023 Training Schedule Technology&Application of PET Plastic Packaging for Hot-Fill &Aseptic Beverages Join our expert team for small group training on a variety of subjects - frommaterials to recycling. Scan to learn more & register for classes! ©2023 Plastic Technologies | 1440 Timberwolf Drive, Holland, Ohio USA 43528 www.pti-usa.com info@pti-usa.com info@pti-europe.com

BOTTLE MAKING 20 PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 11/23 www.petpla.net An ‘on-fi eld’ approach by Sacmi Bottle design for sustainability The availability of advanced instrumentation and pilot lines means that every solution developed by the laboratory, together with customers, can be tested in the field to validate the performance of the cap, preform and blow moulded container. BOTTLE MAKING Functional and elegant design, lightweight and sustainable. With an increasing proportion – which is growing in Europe because of regulations – of recycled resin. This is modern beverage packaging. Technological challenge The lightweighting of containers and the increasing use of recycled resins (especially rPET) pose significant technological challenges. The first is to create a technical-structural design that brings the characteristics of the lightweight bottle as close as possible to the required functional specifications and which provides a traditional consumption experience for the customer. The second involves the process, in terms of the increasing amount of recyclate in the mixtures, which compared to a virgin resin, is highly variable in terms of quality, viscosity, etc. For more than 10 years, Sacmi has been investing in developing blow-moulding technology. Robust, reliable, high-performance machines ready to take on the challenge of new lightweight containers and/or those made with up to 100% recycled material. Sacmi has tested various solutions in the current supply chain, first on still water containers and then on CSD containers, which is equally challenging due to the high quality and sealing performance required for carbonated beverage containers. The proposal Resin testing and analysis, advanced technologies for both preform production (IPS, injection preform system) and blow moulding (SBF rotary blow moulding machines also available in combination with the filling line), allow Sacmi to work on the design, optimise it according to the customer’s needs and to develop ad hoc solutions based on commercial requirements. This ability delivers advantages in terms of time-to-market, with the possibility of fast prototype development (also using new 3D moulding techniques) and testing the prototypes of the blow moulded container on the actual line. Carrying out comprehensive trials and tests at this point minimises the risk of functional issues and faults at a later stage, such as after blowing, and having produced entire batches of incorrect bottles. Sacmi has integrated the PVS156 intensive quality control system, produced by Sacmi Computer Vision, directly into its preform press, to provide an additional guarantee of perfect production results and improved process control. Sacmi’s research into moulds and blow moulding tools has resulted in the development of lowpressure bottoms. A patented Sacmi system reducing the consumption of compressed air. Design from a lightweight and recycling perspective The key aspect of the offer, which Sacmi makes available to customers through the new Sacmi Beverage Packaging Centre – which in turn makes use of the skills of the Group’s Beverage and Rigid Packaging Laboratories – was identifying a specific ‘design key’ to create lighter bottle designs while maintaining both a high aesthetics and performance characteristics. The latter is an integrated approach that includes the configuration of the neck and cap, and the structure of the bottle itself once it has been blown, right up to the design of the moulds, which is also carried out using advanced simulation techniques such as finite element analysis (FEM analysis). In all cases, the result is not limited to a paper copy; it is prototyped and industrially tested either using test benches and simulators or using anthropomorphic robots that simulate the behaviour of the actual machine. Some success stories Bottle design for sustainability is the best possible compromise

BOTTLE MAKING 21 PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 11/23 www.petpla.net " "ĸrĸ ĸ ň (b- -7ࢼ 7;Ѳ -ouoĶ Ɛ ň ƐƎƍƏƔ (boubo (;m;|o Ŏ$(ŏ ň |-Ѳ ň $;Ѳĸ ƱƐƔ ƍƑƐѴ ƔƎƎƒƎƎ ň vbr-Şorr-vĸ1ol ň ĸvbr-ĸb| SIPA’sXFORMGEN4XP ru;=oulňloѲ7bm] |;1_moѲo] 7;Ѳb;uv |_; lowestconversion 1ov| -Ѳom] b|_ unmatched ;m;u] ;L1b;m1 -m7 ease of useĸ | umv b|_ loѲ7v =uol Ə |o Əƍƍ 1-bࢼ;v -v ;ѲѲ -v legacy tooling. $_; b7; HMI b|_ v;Ѳ=ňv;࣌m] ruo1;vv v;|ňr -m7 |uo0Ѳ;v_ooࢼm] ||oub-Ѳv 0ubm]v -m ;@ou|Ѳ;vv v;u ;r;ub;m1;ĸ * ! bv built to last ث |_bv l-1_bm; _-v 0;;m ;m]bm;;u;7 |o 1om; |_; _b]_;v| rѲ-oul uo0v|m;vv -Ѳom] b|_ less than1%of total investment om maintenancecostsĶ l-hbm] bu]bm PETandrPET ru;=oul l-m=-1|ubm] |_; 0;v| ;r;ub;m1; ;;uĸ <200 Wh/kg energy 1omvlrঞom 100% rPET pellets 1-r-0bѴbঞ;v 1 million cold half cycles guaranteed 100% 1olr-ঞ0bѴb| with legacy tooling <1% maintenance cost of total investment : an extraordinary preforming experience

BOTTLE MAKING 22 PETplanet Insider Vol. 24 No. 11/23 www.petpla.net between different and potentially conflicting requirements: aesthetics, functionality and performance on the one hand, and packaging sustainability on the other. From this point of view, Sacmi has implemented projects together with the brand owners, in keeping with the increasing sensitivity of manufacturers to the issue of recycled resins and respect for the environment, whether or not it is enforced by current regulations. One of the most interesting projects implemented for leading global players was the design and development of a lightweight container for highly carbonated CSD that reduced the total weight from 22 to 18.5 g and included 25% of recyclate, successfully achieving this double challenge. Important results were achieved in the production of low-pressure bottoms. A 40% saving on the amount of compressed air was achieved, allowing CSD containers to be blown using a pressure of 15-20 bar, compared to the 25-29 bar required by the traditional method. The various projects Sacmi has been involved as a ‘single partner’ for the supply of both the bottling line (blowing and filling), the IPS machine for preforms and, lastly, the CCM (continuous compression moulding) press for caps, for which Sacmi is known for. In the development of ‘turnkey solutions’ – which are particularly popular in the African market, for example with the recent projects finalised in Kenya, Tanzania, etc. The PET-in-box opportunity Research and development into new solutions from a technological point of view, which are capable of intercepting new market trends is an important part of Sacmi Beverage’s activities. One interesting proposal is the development of PET-in-box, i.e. the replacement of the traditional BIB ‘bag’, which is difficult to recycle, with a PET bottle blown from a super-light preform. Sacmi stated that the advantage is a net saving on material which – taking the standard 5, 8 or 10 litre formats as an example – is more than 50% (from 125-130 g to 69 g). The container can easily be recycled in the traditional PET chain. The application developed does not require the production of special preforms. In fact, the lightest preform already available on the market was used to make a standard 41/48mm neck, with the possibility of improving weight reduction even further depending on the application requested and the availability of ultra-light preforms. www.sacmi.com 5IF SJHIU JOTQFDUJPO TPMVUJPO '03 &"$) #055-& $0/5"*/&3 888 */53"7*4 $0.

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